HIV and Tuberculosis Co-infection Among Migrants in Portugal: A Brief Study on Their Sociodemographic, Clinical, and Genomic Characteristics

HIV and tuberculosis (TB) are among the global deadliest diseases. Migrant populations are particularly vulnerable to these infections. Yet, literature is still scarce on the epidemiology of HIV-TB co-infection among migrants. In this study, we characterized native and migrant HIV patients followed in Portuguese hospitals, who were diagnosed with TB, regarding their sociodemographic, clinical, and genomic characteristics. Among 67 patients with HIV and TB diagnoses, there were 24 migrants, most from sub-Saharan Africa. Most patients had CD4+ T cell counts below 350 cells/mu L, and were diagnosed simultaneously for HIV and TB. When compared to natives, migrants presented a higher proportion of non-B HIV-1 infections. Patients infected with these non-B HIV-1 strains presented higher viral loads, which can have an important impact for the transmissibility and pathogenicity of both diseases. Future studies should investigate different HIV strains and consequences for TB and HIV transmission and disease outcomes, especially among vulnerable populations.

Automated summary

Migration populations are particularly vulnerable to HIV and TB infections. This study found that migrants with HIV and TB diagnoses in Portuguese hospitals had a higher proportion of non-B HIV-1 infections and higher viral loads compared to natives. Further research is needed to investigate the impact of different HIV strains on transmission and disease outcomes.